I love how much the air quality has improved since I was a kid. I remember staying indoors because of smog alerts, when the air was too dangerous to breathe. The last one was in 2003. Decade after decade, our air has improved because of our laws and determination.
Yes! And when people who didn't grow up here complain that our gas prices are higher than other states, I tell them it's worth it for clean air! It was awful. I used to hike San Gorgonio at summer camp and the view from the top was a thick blanket of smog as far as the eye could see. Someday I'd like to go back and see Catalina Island!
Agreed! I grew up in MN and started flying out here in the 80’s. There was a brown layer above SoCal during landing and the air literally smelled bad when first getting off the plane. One got used to it, but I prefer the air now. So much more blue sky! I’ve lived here for over 40 years now, raised 4 kids here, and love everything about this area, warts and all.
I love the way it’s hot on Thanksgiving Day and you can go for a swim.
I love the way my family now owns a ton of hoodies because of how it cools off so quickly in the evenings as we live near the coast.
I love the political activism here in Orange County.
I love the history of California is connected to the history of my home state, Oklahoma.
I love that Disneyland is 25 minutes from my house.
I love that while our traffic has a reputation, we all know that really it’s the parking lots here that are the problem.
I love my town’s 4th of July festivities.
I love taking my kids out trick-or-treating as people really love Halloween here.
I love the bougainvillea, palm trees, bottle brush, and orange trees.
I love the fresh fruit stands.
I, too, have a favorite breakfast place that I’ll continue to gatekeep, though I will shout out Aliso Donuts and Tony Pepperonis in Aliso Viejo. They’re good people!
I love that California feels like a place where the American Dream still happens.
I love our public education system. No joke, when I talk with friends across the country, my kids are ahead bc of how great our schools are.
I love the California Teachers Association - my mom was part of the unions in Oklahoma and it’s so mind blowing to see a union get the benefits teachers deserve!
I love the way the sun hits differently during the seasons off the year, the summer sun is my favorite.
I love that I teach in a PUBLIC high school in a very diverse and alive coastal blue collar town called Oxnard where the kids and staff are putting in honest, good work and doing their absolute best and creating art and theatre and sending kids to GREAT public universities (Mainly in CA!)
I love that I can drive 20 minutes to the West and put my feet in the ocean. I love that I can go an hour East and be in SoCal wine country. I love that I can drive a couple of hours to Big Bear and play in the snow. I love access to top notch entertainment and sports and concerts. I love palm trees and sunshine, and the friendliness of Californians. And I love the liberal principles that have made our state the 4th largest economy in the world.
I love that even in our purple county, I know sooooo many people who are putting a huge amount of time, effort, and money into saving this country and helping their fellow Californias (and even Americans) even though they are often not personally affected by the racism of what is happening today.
I will never ever move from my beloved California. My favorite place in the world - even over Italy - Carmel by the Sea. We have ocean, mountains, lakes, deserts all within driving distance. Pretty cool if you ask me.
I live in Washington state and share your sentiments. If only I could live in Anaheim where the average daily high temperature is over 70 degrees every single month! I'd never have to walk inside a mall ever again. And I could live within walking distance of Angels stadium as well.
I grew up in Colorado, but we used to drive to California every summer. It was a magical place that smelled like salt-water and eucalyptus. I love the mountains, and I love that you can be swimming in the ocean and see snow-capped mountains from the shore. I just finished the last of the season's tangelos and limes from my trees. There's no place like it. 🍊🍋🟩
I love that we have citrus growing in the back yard: delish grapefruit and oranges. I cheer for dog parks, delight in an amazing variety of restaurant foods, go gaga for showy sunsets, and find joy in the natural beauty around us.
I'm a Virginian. This is why I scoff whenever I see posts about "We have to come together and try to see eye to eye." There is no eye to eye. We are at war. One could argue we've been at war since Charlottesville. We need to wise up and treat our trump voting neighbors and family members the way the Hutus treated the Tutsis. Figuratively, of course.
This was a much needed column today (I am sure there are dozens of other days I could say that lately). I've lived here in California my entire life, and feel extremely grateful that I was born here.
It says a lot that even when the taxes are high, the traffic is jammed, the cost of living keeps going up, we still occasionally pause and say "damn, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else".
We're even thinking about flying a California state flag out front. Sadly, flying an American flag these days drums up too many mixed and assumed reactions. Proud to live here, but ashamed of what this nation is becoming.
I love that I can see snow-capped mountains while sailing in 72 degree sunny weather surrounded by dolphins in freaking FEBRUARY!!
I love how much the air quality has improved since I was a kid. I remember staying indoors because of smog alerts, when the air was too dangerous to breathe. The last one was in 2003. Decade after decade, our air has improved because of our laws and determination.
Yes! And when people who didn't grow up here complain that our gas prices are higher than other states, I tell them it's worth it for clean air! It was awful. I used to hike San Gorgonio at summer camp and the view from the top was a thick blanket of smog as far as the eye could see. Someday I'd like to go back and see Catalina Island!
Agreed! I grew up in MN and started flying out here in the 80’s. There was a brown layer above SoCal during landing and the air literally smelled bad when first getting off the plane. One got used to it, but I prefer the air now. So much more blue sky! I’ve lived here for over 40 years now, raised 4 kids here, and love everything about this area, warts and all.
World class universities!
Moved here five years ago this week.
I love the way it’s hot on Thanksgiving Day and you can go for a swim.
I love the way my family now owns a ton of hoodies because of how it cools off so quickly in the evenings as we live near the coast.
I love the political activism here in Orange County.
I love the history of California is connected to the history of my home state, Oklahoma.
I love that Disneyland is 25 minutes from my house.
I love that while our traffic has a reputation, we all know that really it’s the parking lots here that are the problem.
I love my town’s 4th of July festivities.
I love taking my kids out trick-or-treating as people really love Halloween here.
I love the bougainvillea, palm trees, bottle brush, and orange trees.
I love the fresh fruit stands.
I, too, have a favorite breakfast place that I’ll continue to gatekeep, though I will shout out Aliso Donuts and Tony Pepperonis in Aliso Viejo. They’re good people!
I love that California feels like a place where the American Dream still happens.
I love our public education system. No joke, when I talk with friends across the country, my kids are ahead bc of how great our schools are.
I love the California Teachers Association - my mom was part of the unions in Oklahoma and it’s so mind blowing to see a union get the benefits teachers deserve!
I love the way the sun hits differently during the seasons off the year, the summer sun is my favorite.
I love California too.
This made me feel so positive. Thank you!
You’re welcome. Keep looking for the good.
I love that I teach in a PUBLIC high school in a very diverse and alive coastal blue collar town called Oxnard where the kids and staff are putting in honest, good work and doing their absolute best and creating art and theatre and sending kids to GREAT public universities (Mainly in CA!)
I love that my daughter’s healthcare is not subject to political whimsy.
I love that I can drive 20 minutes to the West and put my feet in the ocean. I love that I can go an hour East and be in SoCal wine country. I love that I can drive a couple of hours to Big Bear and play in the snow. I love access to top notch entertainment and sports and concerts. I love palm trees and sunshine, and the friendliness of Californians. And I love the liberal principles that have made our state the 4th largest economy in the world.
I love that even in our purple county, I know sooooo many people who are putting a huge amount of time, effort, and money into saving this country and helping their fellow Californias (and even Americans) even though they are often not personally affected by the racism of what is happening today.
I love everything about my state of California. Born and raised in Orange County. We live in paradise and I try to treat it like that everyday!
Me too! 🙂
I will never ever move from my beloved California. My favorite place in the world - even over Italy - Carmel by the Sea. We have ocean, mountains, lakes, deserts all within driving distance. Pretty cool if you ask me.
I love the diversity of California. Born and raised in this state. Moved away for 32 years, Florida and NY, but came home 16 years ago.
I live in Ohio and hate every waking moment. At least YOU have California.
I live in Washington state and share your sentiments. If only I could live in Anaheim where the average daily high temperature is over 70 degrees every single month! I'd never have to walk inside a mall ever again. And I could live within walking distance of Angels stadium as well.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaheim,_California#Climate
I'm sorry. I hope your politics takes a turn for the better this year. Sending money and solidarity.
I grew up in Colorado, but we used to drive to California every summer. It was a magical place that smelled like salt-water and eucalyptus. I love the mountains, and I love that you can be swimming in the ocean and see snow-capped mountains from the shore. I just finished the last of the season's tangelos and limes from my trees. There's no place like it. 🍊🍋🟩
I love that we have citrus growing in the back yard: delish grapefruit and oranges. I cheer for dog parks, delight in an amazing variety of restaurant foods, go gaga for showy sunsets, and find joy in the natural beauty around us.
Oh my gosh! I forgot about the dog culture!!
I'm a Virginian. This is why I scoff whenever I see posts about "We have to come together and try to see eye to eye." There is no eye to eye. We are at war. One could argue we've been at war since Charlottesville. We need to wise up and treat our trump voting neighbors and family members the way the Hutus treated the Tutsis. Figuratively, of course.
not sure that's gonna cheer Jeff up :)
This was a much needed column today (I am sure there are dozens of other days I could say that lately). I've lived here in California my entire life, and feel extremely grateful that I was born here.
It says a lot that even when the taxes are high, the traffic is jammed, the cost of living keeps going up, we still occasionally pause and say "damn, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else".
We're even thinking about flying a California state flag out front. Sadly, flying an American flag these days drums up too many mixed and assumed reactions. Proud to live here, but ashamed of what this nation is becoming.